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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Restoring faith in humanity

So we all hear the stories - tragic, horrific, mortifying stories on the news. Disturbing stories on the front page of the papers. Celebrities and political figures unveiling their true selves through drug scandals or financial scams. Sometimes these stories, which we hear all too frequently, seem to overwhelm the media. We lose hope. It seems as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel. How sad for all of us to fall under this false belief of disappointment in humanity! I think I talk to at least one person on a daily basis who will bring up something terrible they read in the news or heard about - as a reminder that there is so much sadness and tragedy in every day life. But you know what? As much as I want to feel compassion for these difficult and sad stories, I don't want to be bogged down by it! I don't want to listen to the news to hear updates on the latest freeway accident. I don't want to read the paper to hear who broke into houses in the nearby neighborhood. Is that ignorant of me? I would like to think that it isn't - that I am choosing to look at the good in every day life and focus on what great things people are doing. I had a moment of enlightenment last night after watching "The Blind Side."

Many of you may have already seen about it or heard about the movie - but to give you a basic overview: The story is about a young man who is struggling to keep his grades up in school and has nowhere to turn - no family support whatsoever (he doesn't even know his father and his mother is a drug addict.) He has nowhere to sleep at night and only one tshirt and pair of shorts in all of his possession. A family, played by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, take in "Big Mike" as their own son. They don't even think twice about doing this. They feed him, house him, clothe him, buy him a car, help him succeed in school - and eventually on to play on the football team, etc. (I don't want to give away the story if you haven't seen it yet.) But the craziest part about all of this? It was based on a TRUE story. A REAL family that did this. Where's that story in the headlines? What other inspiring and incredible people are doing great things in the world that we just never hear about? It is stories like these - the ones that make your heart and mind feel good - that give me hope. We live in a beautiful world, full of beautiful people, and it every day is a blessing.

I challenge you to find the good in each day and in humanity. It's out there - we just have to look for it.

3 comments:

I have always thought the true stories you hear in life make the fictional presentation seem so silly. This, along with stories such as Rudy and other true triumphs really make you appreciate the great things that the human spirit can achieve!